Former Baltimore Orioles Outfielder Agrees To Free Agent Deal With Cincinnati Reds
![Jun 23, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Baltimore Orioles left fielder Austin Hays (21) celebrates a home run by second baseman Jordan Westburg (11) against the Houston Astros in the sixth inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Jun 23, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Baltimore Orioles left fielder Austin Hays (21) celebrates a home run by second baseman Jordan Westburg (11) against the Houston Astros in the sixth inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4657,h_2619,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_orioles/01jjpz4fjb48fg6qtzqc.jpg)
The Baltimore Orioles entered the 2024 season with a surplus of offensive standouts, and a lack of pitching depth.
The surplus was abundant, specifically in the outfield, and there are even more outfielders on the way from the club's potent farm system.
As the 2024 MLB trade deadline approached, the club looked to move on from some of their extra outfielders and found a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies that sent veteran Austin Hays there in return for more bullpen depth in Seranthony Dominguez.
Hays entered free agency at the end of the year, and on Tuesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the veteran has come to a one-year, $5 million agreement with the Cincinnati Reds.
The veteran is entering his eighth season of Major League Baseball. The majority of the first seven came with the Orioles.
In that time, he served more in a fourth outfielder role more often than not, getting into just 557 games.
During his tenure in Baltimore, Hays batted .262/.314/.433 with 66 home runs, 242 RBI, and a 107 OPS+ across 2,124 plate appearances.
His stint with the Phillies was mired by injury, spending two separate stints on the injured list and only taking 80 plate appearances with the club.
When he was on the field in Philadelphia, he batted only .256/.275/.397 with two home runs, six RBI, and an 86 OPS+.
Hays will be joining an exciting Reds club that is led by Elly De La Cruz offensively and Hunter Greene on the mound. They look to be more worrisome in the National League Central in 2025 than they have been in recent years.